How Much Should I Feed My Cat? Portions, Calories and Body Condition

The feeding guide on the back of the bag gives a range. Your cat’s own needs can sit well above or below it, and a small mistake every day adds up. A few extra kibbles a day can mean a pound of weight gain over a year, which is a lot for a cat.

This guide shows how to estimate your cat’s daily calories, turn that into grams of food, check whether you’ve got it right, and adjust. It’s built to work alongside the feeding guide on your cat’s food, not replace it, and your vet is the best person to set a target for your individual cat.

The short answer

There’s no single amount that fits every cat. Most healthy adult indoor cats need somewhere around 180 to 330 calories a day, depending on weight, age, activity and whether they’re neutered. Start from the feeding guide on the package, weigh the food instead of using a scoop, and adjust based on your cat’s weight and body shape every few weeks.

Step 1: Estimate daily calories

Vets and nutritionists often use a standard formula to estimate energy needs:

Resting energy requirement (RER) = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75
Then multiply by a factor for life stage and lifestyle. For a typical neutered adult cat, the factor is often around 1.2.

You don’t need to do the maths. Here are rough starting points for an adult neutered cat at a healthy weight:

Healthy weight	Approx. daily calories
3 kg (6.6 lb)	~190 kcal
4 kg (8.8 lb)	~240 kcal
5 kg (11 lb)	~280 kcal
6 kg (13 lb)	~320 kcal

Use your cat’s ideal weight, not their current weight, if they’re over or underweight. Ask your vet what that is.

These are estimates, not prescriptions. Real needs shift with:

• Age. Kittens need much more per kg to grow. Many seniors need less, though some older cats lose weight and need more.
• Activity. Active and outdoor cats burn more than sedentary indoor cats.
• Neutering. Neutered cats tend to need fewer calories.
• Health. Conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease or an overactive thyroid change needs, so follow your vet’s plan.
• Pregnancy and nursing. Needs rise substantially, so ask your vet.

Step 2: Turn calories into grams

Look on the package for the food’s calorie content, usually listed as kcal per kg, kcal per cup, or kcal per can or pouch. Then divide:

Grams per day = daily calories ÷ (kcal per gram)
(If the label says kcal per kg, divide by 1,000 to get kcal per gram.)

Typical examples, to show the idea (check your own label, because brands vary a lot):

Daily calories	Dry food (~3.8 kcal/g)	Wet food (~1.0 kcal/g)
~190 kcal	~50 g	~190 g
~240 kcal	~63 g	~240 g
~280 kcal	~74 g	~280 g
~320 kcal	~84 g	~320 g

Wet food calories range widely, often from about 0.7 to 1.2 kcal per gram, so this is where the label matters most.

If you want to know what it costs, our guide to the cost of feeding a cat turns these amounts into a cost per day.

Step 3: Weigh the food, don’t scoop it

A “cup” or “scoop” of kibble can vary by 20% or more depending on how you fill it. For a small animal, that’s a big swing.

• Use a kitchen scale that measures in grams.
• Weigh the day’s portion once, then split it across meals.
• Measure once and note which scoop or container gives that weight, but recheck it from time to time.

Mixing wet and dry

If you feed both, split the calories, not the grams. For example, a cat needing 240 kcal a day might get half from each:

• 120 kcal of dry food ÷ 3.8 = about 32 g
• 120 kcal of wet food ÷ 1.0 = about 120 g

The common mistake is adding a can of wet food on top of a full portion of dry, which can almost double the intake without anyone noticing. Decide the split first, and reduce one food when you add the other.

Don’t forget treats

Treats count too. A common guideline is to keep treats and extras to around 10% of daily calories or less, and take them off the main meal amount. For a 240 kcal cat, that’s about 24 kcal, which could be just a few treats, and some “small” treats contain more calories than people expect. Check the label, and don’t forget table scraps and licks of milk or tuna.

How often to feed

Many adult cats do well on two or more meals a day. Some owners prefer several small meals, or a puzzle feeder, which can add activity and interest. Free-feeding (leaving a bowl always full) works for some cats, but it makes overeating easy, particularly with dry food.

Kittens eat more often, and senior cats or those with health conditions may need specific schedules, so check with your vet.

Step 4: Check your cat’s body condition

The scale tells you weight, but your cat’s body shape tells you whether it’s the right weight for them. Vets use a body condition score, often on a 9-point scale, where about 4 to 5 out of 9 is the target. At home, check:

• Ribs. You should be able to feel them under a thin layer of fat without pressing hard. If you can’t feel them, your cat may be overweight. If they’re clearly visible, your cat may be underweight.
• Waist. Looking from above, there should be a slight narrowing behind the ribs.
• Belly. A small amount of loose skin is normal in some cats (the “primordial pouch”), but a sagging, heavy belly can be a sign of extra weight.

Long-haired cats can hide their shape, so use your hands, not just your eyes.

Step 5: Adjust and track

1. Weigh your cat every two to four weeks at first, using a baby or kitchen scale, or at your vet’s clinic. For small cats, a small change in weight is a big change in proportion.
2. Keep a simple record of weight and daily food.
3. Adjust slowly. If your cat needs to lose weight, don’t cut food sharply. Rapid weight loss in cats can cause a serious liver condition (hepatic lipidosis). Ask your vet for a plan, which usually involves a gradual reduction.
4. Re-check after any change in life stage, activity, medication or home environment.

When to talk to your vet

Contact your vet if:

• Your cat is losing or gaining weight without a change in food
• Your cat stops eating for more than a day or so, or eats much less than usual
• Your cat is constantly hungry, drinking much more than usual, or urinating more than usual
• Your cat is vomiting, has diarrhoea, or seems unwell
• Your cat is a kitten, a senior, or has a health condition, and you’re unsure about portions

A cat that stops eating can become seriously ill quickly, so don’t wait it out.

Final thoughts

Feeding the right amount comes down to knowing your cat’s target weight, finding the calories in the food, weighing portions, and checking your cat’s body shape over time. It takes a few minutes to set up, and it’s one of the most useful things you can do for your cat’s long-term health. Our guide to reading a pet food label explains where to find the calorie information, and when our first reviews go live, you’ll see how each brand scores on our How we review method.

Frequently asked questions